Mama Mia Mighty Chia: Calcium, Fiber, Omegas, Weightloss and more!

If you are a runner or just someone who wants to get a super boost of energy from a simple and healthy source, you need to join the Chia craze! Since around 3400 BC the ancient tribes of Aztecs, Mayans, and Incans all consumed chia because they knew it to be a high energy food. The word Chia actually means “strength” in the Mayan language. It is also commonly referred to as the Indian Running Food because of the increased stamina and speed it would give their warriors and hunters. These early Chia fans would grind it into their flour, press it for oil and add it to water to drink to make sure they were getting lots of Chia’s magical benefits.

These tiny little seeds are a gluten free powerhouse with just 1 tablespoon delivering more calcium than a glass of milk, more Omega-3s than you get from Salmon, 42% of your daily fiber requirement, high in protein and beats out blueberries in antioxidants. As if that wasn’t enough they contain alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid (which are essential fatty acids), Vitamins A, B, E, and D, and are packed with minerals including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, iodine, copper, zinc, sodium, magnesium, niacin and thiamine. And unlike the flax seed, the chia seed does not need to be ground in order to reap its many benefits and the chia seed does not go rancid like flax seed. So goodbye flax seed and hello chia.

Just when you thought you better stop reading and head to Whole Foods to get your chia, but wait there’s more! The champion of nutritional seeds, chia also suppresses the appetite, aids in weight loss, levels blood sugar, and aids in regularity. When you dissolve chia seeds in water it creates a gelatin like substance. Because the seed is so water soluble it is believed that this gel like substance forms in your stomach and helps you feel full faster. It also creates a barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes and slows the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar. They also support heart health and beautiful skin, hair and nails.

So how the heck does one eat chia seeds? I put them on my pancakes, toast, yogurt, oatmeal, added to recipes, and in any shakes or smoothies. A super easy way to add it in is in your peanut butter. Chia seeds are pretty much tasteless so you aren’t trying to choke them down like some nutritional supplements. The only down side in this picture is they do get stuck in your teeth, so invest in some Chia seeds and a box of toothpicks. And due to the high fiber content don’t go overboard as too much of a good thing isn’t good. The recommendation is no more than 1 ounce per day.

My favorite Chia seeds are listed here and I love to get them on Amazon as I get free 2 day shipping right to my door! GET GREAT CHIA DEALS HERE!

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Posted in Food, Food, Health, Nutrition